loading for an AR

1

1chig

New member
Hello, Been reloading for several years now, Mostly handguns and Hunting rifles. Well, I got my first AR . Its a 5.56/.223 Was wandering if any one in here reloads for them and what is your best load. Im not using it for hunting or match shooting , it will be just a target/fun gun. Thanks
 
Im not using it for hunting or match shooting , it will be just a target/fun gun. Thanks
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Depends in part on your choice of bullets which may depend on your rifle's barrel twist rate. All of my .223 Remington (5.56 NATO) rifles are older with a 1:7 twist so I shoot pretty much the heavier bullets. Never had much luck with the 1:7 barrels and light (55 gn or lighter) bullets. Shooting the heavier match bullets I like powders like H-4895, IMR-4895, Varget and a few of the VihtaVuori powders like N-135. The .223 Remington (5.56 NATO) allows a wide range of powders and bullets depending on your rifle.

For everyday reasonable price bullets I have had good results using the Midway Dogtown Bullets which when on sale can be a good deal.

Ron
 
I shoot most of my light bullets from a 1:12 bolt gun but... Using 55 grain bullets like the Hornady 55 gn V-Max, 55 gn FMJ-BT W/C, 55 gn SP W/C, 55 gn SP and 55 gn SP SX there is a wide range of powders available. I like N-133, N-140, and Varget because I lean towards the stick powders. Other good powders are BL-C(2), CFE 223, AR Comp, and H335 with the H335 being fairly common and popular. Hodgdon Powder Rifle Data is a good place to get load data for Hodgdon and IMR powders. Always start low and work up your loads looking for any obvious pressure signs. For your 55 grain bullets some Hodgdon powders to consider are Varget, BL-C(2), H335, H4895, H322 and H4198, all of which should have load data in the link.

Ron
 
If you're looking to spray and pray or just have fun plinking, then nothing beats the Amscor bullets for price (please hold the complaints about Amscor). For accuracy, I use the VMax bullets.

I reload a boatload of 223 for my ARs and M16s. It's one of my favorite rounds to reload. Cheap. Reliable. Easy to reload. Small case size means it's easy to operate the handle on a progressive. The case doesn't require constant trimming. Some crazy reloaders don't even clean/tumble their brass. Even at a moderate pace, I can reload 700 rounds in 60 minutes and then head off to the range.

You can pretty much use any rifle powder, and it'll cycle the gun. I've used H335, AA2200, and TAC. They all work well. But then again, when it comes to 223, I load for volume of fire, so I'm not picky.

You will enjoy reloading and shooting the 223. There's a good reason why it's the most popular rifle caliber and the most popular gun.

Congrats on your first AR! Please include pictures next time. Show and tell is fun.
 
I like the 223 round also. One of my favorites for sure, 308 being my most favorite. I have both in a remington 700 bolt action and those are my serious guns. this AR was just for fun and cant wait to get into it a little more. I have shot it a little with factory ammo but just dont feel right since i am a reloader. I will post results from my first loading and some pics of the AR. Thank you
 
55gr FMJ-BT ( Hornady )
25gr H-335
CCI #400 primers
LC brass
COAL 2.240
No crimp with proper neck tension/bullet hold
 
Second vote for the armscor bullets, I use them for my bulk reloads. Still plenty accurate. I practice speed drills on a 20" plate at 180 yards and ding it one after another easily. Soda bottles too.

My favorite load is actually printed on the front of a 1# jug of bench mark powder.
 
1ching --

What twist does your barrel have ?

What is the barrel length ?

Liter bullets ( 40gr, 55gr ) do better in slower twist
barrels ( 1/14 to 1/9 )

1/8 to 1/7 twist work better with heavier bullets
60gr, 77gr, 80gr )
 
Why do you all keep asking what twist he has . He already has the rifle AND 55gr bullets he's going to use . What twist he has is really irrenavent at this point .
 
Metal dog --

I am aware he already has a rifle and 55gr bullets

We are offering our experience with the intent to help
in case these bullets do not satisfy him

I have been down the path he is starting down and if I can
I'll try to save him some money, time and fustration
 
We are offering our experience with the intent to help
in case these bullets do not satisfy him
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Gotcha , I just see so many people post in threads and never actually answer the question while bringing up other things that were never asked
 
With 55 grain fmj's I made 1000 rounds. Seated to cannalure, trimmed to case min length, used CCI 450 primers, and somewhere around 25-26 grains of Benchmark.
You can work up until you see pressure signs and back off.
Out of a 16" barrel I got 3005 fps and around 1.5" groups using an aim point optic.
 
Thanks guys for all the help. I sure appreciate it. I never mentioned it is a stock New Smith and Wesson m&p. I did load up some of the 55gn and they shot pretty darn good at close range. Havent tried past 100 yet. I used IMR 4198. I have had good luck with it in My 700's. Thanks again
 
*Most* AR barrels are stamped with the rifling twist rate on top or bottom just in front of the front sight.
It will be expressed as 1/7 (one turn in 7"),
1/9 (one turn in 9"), ect.
For future reference, the smaller the second number, the heavier/longer bullet it will 'Like' (within reason).

Short range shooting (under 300 yards) won't matter a lot if you use flat base bullets or 'Boat Tail' bullets.
The BC (Ballistic Coefficient) with 'Boat Tail' is better on longer range bullets.

My old standard, Win 748 powder is dirty, and vocity changes with Temprature, but generally very accurate & less expensive,
While 'Benchmark' isn't nearly as dirty and is more stable with temp changes, but is more expensive.
Both do a VERY good job with .223 rem rounds.

AR rifles usually benifit from 'Small Base' sizing die sets.
The AR brass swell at the back end of the case, 'Small Base' dies help push the case lower portion back in where it belongs.

Get yourself a $20 case gauge (L.E. Wilson),
Size your cases to fit the gauge correctly and they will usually feed without issues.
Cases fit the gauge BEFORE you load...

If you use a crimp on the bullets, and many do, consider a Lee 'Factory Crimp' die instead of using the roll/taper crimp in the bullet seating die.
Roll/taper crimps push directly down HARD on the neck of the brass, often bulging the shoulder causing brass to jam in the chamber.

The factory crimp die works differently, compressing the crimp from outside the neck, NOT bulging the shoulder.
Keeps you from PRCISELY trimming brass each and every time,
And the crimp is uniform, not dependent on the trim length for proper compression/crimp.

If you are reloading military brass,
The primers will be 'Crimped' into place,
That hanging metal needs to be pushed back or removed.
There is 'Swaging' or 'Swagging', compressing the overhang back into the case head,
And there are trimmers that cut that lip/overhang off,
The choice is yours, and this only has to be done ONCE, the first time you process the once fired brass.
 
Yes. 9 & 12 both work with those. The 14" twist on the 222 Rem I've found is opening groups up a little with them, so I think of 12 as the limit. If you want a match bullet at some point, look at the 53 grain Sierra MatchKing with flat base. Works well with 4198 and flat bases can be a little easier to make shoot precisely until you get far enough away that wind becomes a serious factor.
 
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